At Home with Sarah Beeny 2013 - (Page 170)

A touch of glass THE RIGHT WINDOWS AND DOORS CAN TRANSFORM YOUR HOUSE – BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. MAKE SURE YOURS LOOK THE PART T he modest door and window: they’re the portals to your home, the way you enter and exit, let light and fresh air in, and yet, do you really pay them the attention they warrant? Windows can transform the appearance of your home from the outside as well as the inside. And when it comes to your front door, it’s crucial it looks the part for a warm welcome to your house. Don’t forget your internal doors, too, they need to create cohesion as you walk from room to room. So, this springtime, re-visit your windows and doors, and see whether they’re really working their hardest. Maybe a spot of window (and door) shopping is on the cards… THE DOORS Choosing your front door can be the cherry on the cake when it comes to your home’s frontage, so it pays to use your house’s style as a guide. The right entrance adds kerb appeal, too, which is important if you are selling, while investing money in the best doors provides extra security – which can give you peace of mind. If it’s a period property, then a traditional oak veneer door with glazed detail may suit best, whereas a PVCu door may better beﬁt a modern, new-build property. Other types of external doors (meaning your front entrance) include: glass-reinforced plastic doors (GRP – also known as ﬁbreglass), folding, sliding doors, and French doors. The other deciding factor should be security: your front (and back) door needs to keep your home safe, so be sure to purchase sturdy doors that either come with locks, or those that can have locks easily ﬁtted. EXTERNAL INTERNAL Internal doors are an important part of your home’s interior, and it’s likely you’ll want to keep them consistent throughout the house, so it’s best to pick one with staying power! The three main types are: Bi-fold If space is short, and you’ve been lusting over a conservatory that there’s simply not extending space for, why not make the most of the room you do have available and have bi-fold doors installed? These ‘doors’ are typically large glass panels that lie ﬂat as a glass wall, but then in a concertina effect, can fold back on themselves – partially, to let 170 | APRIL 2013 170-174 doors & windowsFINAL.indd 170 4/3/13 17:11:03

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of At Home with Sarah Beeny 2013

Editor's letter
Sarah's Welcome
Notebook
It's a date
Mellow yellow
Blooming wonderful
Proper copper
Rent revolution
Home upgrade
Leading locations
Property virgins
Safe as houses
On the move
Good on paper
A distressed look
Turn up the heat
Fire it up
Trendsetter
Another 48 hours
Something old, something new
Suite dreams
Inside the box
Bathtime
On stylish ground
On the rise
DIY for girls
The blueprint
A glass act
Final draught
Heat beneath your feet
Silent enemies
Real-life renovation
Eco exclusive
Hot stuff
How very cultivated
Turn over a new leaf
Lofty deals
Keep your antenna up
What Sarah says
How bizarre
Colour cocktail
Last word
Stockists

At Home with Sarah Beeny 2013